


Twenty Minutes - Chet's POV

by Icecat62



Category: Emergency!
Genre: Angst, Challenge Response, Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-09-06
Updated: 2014-09-06
Packaged: 2018-02-16 07:35:57
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 809
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2261307
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Icecat62/pseuds/Icecat62
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Twenty Minutes - Chet's POV</p>
            </blockquote>





	Twenty Minutes - Chet's POV

**Author's Note:**

> Originally posted to JohnnysGreenPen.

Man, I am soooo tired of deserted warehouse fires. Why can't the jerks tear the things down if they're not gonna' use 'em?

God it's hot. I bet my underwear's soaked. Did I put clean underwear in my locker? Damn…I wonder if Marco'll lend me a pair when we get back.

A shower. Yeah, that'll feel nice. Then something to eat. I hope Gage hasn't eaten the leftover chicken from last night. God, he is such a pig!

What the hell?! Look at that baby crumble! Uh oh…

Looking around, I do a quick head count.

There's Cap…okay Mike's at the engine. Marco's with me so I don't hafta' worry about what he's up to. Where in the hell are John and Roy? Whew! Here they come.

Huh?

I squint, trying to see Gage in the smoke billowing from the building. Roy's running up to Cap.

Shit, this doesn't look good. Where's Gage?

I look back at the building and then over to where Roy is talking to Cap.

Jesus…Roy looks like he's going to freak. Something's happened to Gage.

I feel a tap on my back. Tightening my grip on the hose, I look back over my shoulder at Marco. The question in his eyes is mingled with worry. 

"Chet…did you see Johnny come out?"

"No, just Roy. I think something's happened."

There I go again, stating the obvious.

Marco rolls his eyes at me, then looks away. I turn to look at what he sees. Cap is running up to us. Roy is over with Mike saying something.

"Kelly, Lopez…get this fire knocked down! John's trapped in some debris and we need to get to him before his air runs out."

For some reason I have to ask it.

"How long does he have?"

Cap's eyes are stony, his voice hard.

"Roy thinks he has about twenty minutes of air left."

 

*********************************************

 

How long did Cap say he had left? Twenty minutes?

I push back the sleeve of my turnout and look at my watch.

It's been what…close to twenty minutes now since Cap told us what happened? John only has a couple of minutes of air left.

Shaking my sleeve down, I chew at my lip.

I wonder if he's alive? Don't say that shit! Damn it Kelly, you are one big asshole. Geez, you never say a guy's dead until they find him dead. Do ya' wanna' jinx him or what?!

I look across the pile of rubble to see Roy working like a mad man. The sweat is rolling down his face…he looks exhausted. I wonder how he feels.

Doh! Come on, you know how he feels. John's the closest thing to a brother that he's got. I can't picture not having a brother. I wonder what it was like for them both growing up with no brother? Shit, I could've lent them two or three of mine. 

I feel a small smile making it's way to my face as I think of my brother's tormenting the hell out of Gage. An image of a tall scrawny kid pops in my mind. Gage looks like a kid now, so it's not all that hard to imagine.

Man, I shouldn't have set him up like that this morning.

My stomach twists in a knot. This morning's water bomb on Gage may have been the last one that the Phantom ever set for him.

Stop it! He's not dead! Gage always gets into crap like this and comes out smelling like a rose. Well…maybe like a sweaty, smoky rose, but he always gets out of things that other guys don't. He'll make it this time too. I know it! I think I'd feel it if he was…

Marco jumps up from where he's been digging. I can see the elation in his face. 

"I found him! Johnny's here!"

Before I can make a move, Roy is scrambling around the pile. You'd think he'd be happy as hell, instead he looks more panicked than ever. It's then that I realize why he's acting like that. He drops to his knees and I see it. Roy is yanking up the cuff of a turnout pant sticking out of the rubble. Here I thought Marco found John and all he found is his leg. Roy is digging his hand in John's boot top. I know what he's looking for.

He has to be okay. I know it's been a little longer than twenty minutes. Maybe Roy didn't guess the right time left in the tank. Maybe John has some extra air in there.

I hold my breath, waiting for Roy to tell us if we need to hurry and get John out of that mess. I do something that I haven't done in some time. I pray.

Hail Mary, full of grace…


End file.
